Terrifying 'honour killing': Karnataka court sentences 3 to death, 9 to life for family massacre
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Synopsis
A Karnataka court has sentenced three individuals to death and nine others to life imprisonment in a brutal honour killing case involving the murder of five family members due to an inter-caste marriage in 2020.
Key Takeaways
- Death penalty for three perpetrators.
- Nine others sentenced to life imprisonment.
- Tragic incident sparked by an inter-caste marriage.
- Victims brutally murdered in a public attack.
- Couple under police protection after the incident.
Raichur (Karnataka), April 8 (NationPress) A court in the Raichur district of Karnataka delivered its ruling on a shocking honour killing case involving the tragic deaths of five family members due to an inter-caste love marriage in 2020. In this case, three of the perpetrators received the death penalty, while nine others were sentenced to life in prison.
This honour killing incident had a profound impact on the state and garnered national attention.
The Third Additional District and Sessions Court in Sindhanur imposed the death sentence on the girl’s father, Sannafakeerappa, along with relatives Ammanna and Somashekar, each fined Rs 47,000. The other nine individuals found guilty were given life sentences and fined Rs 97,500 each.
The assailants brutally killed Erappa, aged 65, his wife Sumitramma, 55, and their children Nagaraj, 38, Sridevi, 36, and Hanumesh, 35. Erappa's daughter-in-law, Revathi, and his mother, Tayamma, suffered severe injuries during the attack.
The violence was incited by the inter-caste marriage of Sannafakeerappa’s daughter, Manjula, who wed Mounesh from the victim’s family against her family’s wishes.
In a fit of rage over the marriage, the group forcibly entered the victims’ residence on July 11, 2020, dragged them outside, and murdered them on the street with lethal weapons.
Manjula and Mounesh, who resided in Sukalpet in Sindhanur, decided to live apart from their families due to the opposition from Manjula’s parents. This horrific event occurred a mere few months after their marriage.
The couple was kept safe and placed under police protection following the attack.
After their wedding, the couple had visited Manjula’s father at his home. However, her family, vehemently against the inter-caste marriage, refused to accept them and reportedly threatened to kill Mounesh’s entire family.
In response to this threat, the couple filed a complaint with the Sindhanur police, seeking protection for themselves and Mounesh’s relatives. This angered Manjula’s family, who allegedly invaded Mounesh’s home and confronted his parents, siblings, and sister.
The conflict escalated into a violent assault, leading to Manjula’s relatives invading the house and attacking Mounesh’s family. The Sindhanur police quickly arrived at the scene and apprehended four of the accused at the crime scene.
